


Of Tauriel and Mirkwood at the End of the Third Age

by drzagreus



Category: The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-21
Updated: 2015-05-21
Packaged: 2018-03-31 15:35:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3983470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drzagreus/pseuds/drzagreus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Some of the events of the last thousand years of the Third Age of Middle-Earth, following Tauriel in Mirkwood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Of Tauriel and Mirkwood at the End of the Third Age

**Author's Note:**

> This is my final project for an honors college course about Tolkien, in which I attempt to place Tauriel (as created by Peter Jackson) into Tolkien's canon, and attempt to "emulate Tolkien's writing". 
> 
> This is my first attempt at writing, and any feedback is much appreciated! 
> 
> In case it is of any interest, a basic timeline is included at the end.

In Dol Guldur, in the far southern reaches of the forest of Mirkwood, the dark and terrible power that dwelt there began to grow stronger, tainting the forest around it. The Wise feared it may be Sauron taking shape again, and after three uneasy years, the wizard Gandalf went to Dol Guldur, hoping to discover the form of this evil. In haste, the Necromancer of Dol Guldur retreated to the East, there to conceal his true nature and gather strength. At Gandalf’s behest, the elves of Mirkwood kept a wary eye on the deserted fortress of Dol Guldur, though for many years following the departure of the Necromancer not a creature moved in the shadow of the abandoned stronghold. Thus began the Watchful Peace.

 

Adleitha, daughter of Gwilith, was wed to Lothren, son of Aeruil, in the early years of the Third Age. For many years they lived in the far northwest of Mirkwood, there to keep careful watch on the border of the forest, and on the Orc’s mountain fortress of Gundabad. Two thousand years passed, and the inhabitants of the Woodland Realm paid little heed to events in distant lands. It was in the deep of winter, when the snow dusted the trees and the birds were silent, that Adleitha gave birth to a daughter, whom they named Meren, which in the Sindarin tongue of the woodland elves means Joyous. In the following years, she grew in beauty and grace, and smiled often. When Meren was twenty years of age, a raiding band of Orcs attacked Mirkwood’s northern borders, and in that battle was her father slain, and her mother struck by a poisoned arrow. Adleitha was one of the few elves to make it home. Together, Meren and her mother grieved the passing of a beloved father and dear husband. Too soon though, Adleitha fell ill, the poison from her wound coursing through her. Although the lives of the elves may last forever, the loss of her husband weakened her and she surrendered herself to death, leaving Meren alone and parentless.

Mourning the loss of both a mother and father, Meren decided with a heavy heart to leave her home, so as to take word of what had happened to the Elvenking, and to build for herself a new life. Then Meren silently departed from her home, leaving her grief behind her. She abandoned her old name, for she laughed no more, forever bereft of the innocent joy she once possessed; and she took a new name, Tauriel, which in the language of her people signified Daughter of the Forest, for she had been raised among the green leaves and reaching branches of maple and oak and pine.

So it was that Tauriel journeyed through the forest, her only company the occasional bird. By day she made her way through the shadowed undergrowth of the forest, leaving no more than a few snapped twigs to mark her passing. By night, she climbed high into the trees, settling among the high branches to watch the stars wheel overhead, each point of light distinct, twinkling down through the branches. The silence surrounded her. The faint trickle of a far-off stream and the occasional noise of some nocturnal animal moving on the ground below were the only sounds in the quiet. Alone among the high boughs, she finally allowed herself to weep for the parents she had lost, the cold light of the stars her only witness.

It was nigh sixty leagues as the eagle flies to the halls of the Elvenking. Tauriel covered the distance quickly, for she was accustomed to travel through the forest, and was nimble and fleet of foot. On the fifth day of travel, as the sun was becoming low in the sky and the shadows under the trees grew nearly black, she came at last to the halls of King Thranduil. As she neared, a narrow bridge arched its way across the river, the great beech trees arching down on either side of the river. On the far side, great doors of carven stone rose high, embedded into the hillside, beyond which lay the great caverns of the Woodland Realm.

Crossing the bridge, she halted at the gate. Sentries stood on either side of the doors, for though there had been no sign of the Enemy for many years now, the king still took many precautions, for he knew that the evil that had resided in Dol Guldur would one day return, and that the darkness would one day grow again, casting out murky tendrils to corrupt the rest of the forest and beyond.

One of the guards hailed her, demanding her name and purpose, and she responded briefly: “I am Tauriel, who was Meren, daughter of Lothren and Adleitha, and I have come from the northern borders to bring grave tidings to King Thranduil.” Sending a messenger ahead to the King, the guards permitted her to pass, and the doors swung shut behind her. Soon, the same messenger returned, beckoning her to follow. As she walked, her gaze turned in wonder to the beauty of the caves around her, for she had never before laid eyes upon the halls of the Woodland Realm. The twisting passageways were lit by red torchlight, the caverns beautifully carved, and the air was clean and fresh. Soon, she was lead before Thranduil. He was seated in his great throne of carven wood, and Legolas, the young Prince of the Woodland Realm, stood by his side.

“I have heard tell that you have come bearing tidings from the northern border,” Thranduil began. “But why, I wonder, did they send one so young as you?”

“My Lord, I was the one who chose to come, for both my parents were slain by Orcs, and I desired to reside there no longer. Orcs have been coming in increasing numbers from Gundabad, sending smaller raiding parties into the borders of Mirkwood, for though still they fear the trees and us who reside in them, they are becoming ever more bold. I have come to bring you these reports and to beg of you that I may stay and reside in your halls, for I have no desire to return from whence I came.”

Thranduil regarded at her thoughtfully, his gaze seeming to look deep into her soul. After several moments, he inclined his head and said: “Very well. I knew Lothren long ago, and am grieved to hear that he is dead. Here you shall remain for as long as you wish.”

 

The years passed, and Tauriel grew both in spirit and in stature. She lived in a plain yet elegant home among the branches of a beech tree, high above the rushing water of the Forest River. Often shy, she kept to herself, making few friends. Legolas delighted in spending time with her, and Tauriel would often seek his company. In time, she grew to love Legolas as a brother, and together they often would run through the forest, sometimes wandering so far as to leave the confines of the trees and run across the open planes under the light of the stars. For a time it seemed to Tauriel as if nothing could dampen this new joy she felt, as if she could go on like this forever. But it was not to be.

 

So it happened that the Necromancer returned to Dol Guldur, and the Watchful Peace was ended. With the evil power rising in the south, Thranduil ordered the watch on the fortress to be increased tenfold, and the forces of the Woodland Realm began to prepare for battle. When Tauriel heard of the preparations being made, she went to Thranduil, petitioning him to allow her to begin to train with his soldiers.

Bowing before him, she said, “My lord, not long have I resided here, by the reckoning of our people. But you, who knew my father, and his father before him, must surely understand my desire to defend this realm. Please, Lord Thranduil, if ever you respected or loved me, permit me to train with your guard, that I may prove to you that I am fully capable of holding my own and defending my realm.”

But Thranduil answered: “You are young, and have not yet seen even one hundred winters. You are inexperienced, and would be but a hindrance to my guard, and that I cannot allow. Do not speak more of this to me until you are older.”

And so Tauriel left him, knowing nothing she said would sway his mind. But Legolas marked her as she left, and saw how much she desired this. Going to his father, he said: “ _Ada_ , Tauriel has spoken to you of her wish to learn the skills of the warriors of the Woodland Realm, and you have seen that she is no longer a child. She is young, yes, by the standard of our people, but she is strong, and has already seen death and the evil that can be caused by Orcs. Let her train, and you will see that she will prove her worth. Or if you will not let her learn from your guard, permit me to teach her.”

Thranduil gave no reply, and merely looked thoughtfully at his son. Yet that evening, before the sun had yet sunk behind the trees, a messenger came to Tauriel from the King, bidding her meet the Captain of the Guard, Tirhest, early the next morning, to begin her training. Tauriel learned fast and fought hard, becoming strong and quick, and skillful with both bow and knives. She learned the basics of command and strategy, and Thranduil’s respect for her grew.

 

It was in this time that the evil that dwelt in Dol Guldur began to spread, corrupting the forest around it, spreading ever outwards. The forest became shadowed and murky, as it had been years ago. Sunlight became scarce, and even the great beech trees that rose high above the Forest River grew dark. Soon, reports began coming to Thranduil of spiders coming northward out of Dol Guldur. Thranduil sent many of his guard to fight the spiders, hoping to stop them before they poisoned much of the forest.

For four hundred years, the war between the elves and the spiders was at an impasse. The elves were skilled fighters and easily dealt with the spiders they encountered, suffering few casualties. Towards the end of this time, the conflict began to escalate, and skirmishes became increasingly frequent.

It was in one of these battles, as the elves fought to keep the spiders and the evil they brought with them at bay, that Tirhest was killed. There was little time to mourn, for immediately they were under attack once again, but with Tirhest no longer there to lead them, the elves were uncoordinated and defeating the spiders became arduous. Soon they were forced to retreat back over the Mountains of Mirkwood, and it was there that Tauriel assumed unofficial command, leading the elves to drive the spiders back over the mountains.

Choosing to not pursue the spiders any farther south, she instead instructed the company to retreat back to the king. Returning to the Elvenking’s halls, Tauriel and three others from their company went before King Thranduil and told all that had transpired. When he heard of Tirhest’s death, his face grew somber, though he was proud and would not openly show his grief. When they had finished telling their story, he dismissed them without a word. The next morning, Tauriel received a message that Thranduil wished to see her, and so she went to him, unsure of what to expect.

For the first time, he was not sitting, but was instead standing, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze unfocused. He motioned Tauriel to his side, but was silent for a moment before speaking.

“With the death of Tirhest, I am left without a Guard Captain for the first time in many hundreds of years. If you would accept, I would have you to take his place as Captain. I realize it is very unusual for the Captain of the Guard to be so young, but you have proven yourself many times as an excellent warrior and a competent commander.”

Tauriel replied: “You honor me, my lord, and I happily accept this honor. I will not fail you.”

So it was that Tauriel became Captain of the Guard, and would frequently take small companies out to fight the spiders. Returning from one of these hunts, Tauriel heard the strange story of a company of dwarves. Shortly thereafter, Thranduil summoned Tauriel, informing her that he planned to march upon Erebor, for the dragon Smaug had been slain. Within hours, the Elvenking’s army was on the move. Of the events that followed, and of the Battle of Five Armies, more is told by the hobbit Bilbo in the Red Book of Westmarch.

 

Following the Battle of Five Armies, the Woodland Realm prospered once more and established trade with Erebor and Dale and Lake-town, and for a short while there was peace and beauty in that part of the world. Often, Tauriel would ride out with a small company, hunting the spiders and seeking to drive them south once more. On occasion, Thranduil himself would join them, and as the years went on, a bond between them grew and strengthened.

It was in this time that Mithrandir the Wizard and Aragorn of the Dúnedain searched for the creature Gollum. Their search brought them to Mirkwood, though none of the elves there had seen the creature. At long last, after many weary years of tracking the creature, Gollum was captured and brought to Thranduil, so that the elves of the Woodland Realm might keep him prisoner. At Mithrandir’s bidding, Tauriel set elves to guard Gollum day and night. Yet she had not the heart to keep him always underground, and when the weather was fair, she would allow him to wander outside with his guards.

There was a high tree, standing tall and alone, a great oak with branches reaching high. There they would allow Gollum enough freedom so that he might climb to the very top to feel the wind, but a guard was always set at the base of the tree. One day in summer, Gollum refused to come down, and that night, as the guards still sat by the tree, a band of Orcs attacked. They were met in battle by Tauriel and a small company that had been out hunting, but by the time the battle was over, Gollum was gone and his guard lay dead. The trail of the Orcs that had escaped lead southwards towards Dol Guldur. Tauriel returned in shame to Thranduil, and bowing before him she told all that had happened and said, “I have failed you: the creature Gollum has escaped and his guards killed because of my carelessness. When you made me Captain, I swore to never fail you. This oath I have broken, and henceforth I shall no longer be Captain of the Guard, nor shall I remain here.”

But Thranduil, looking upon her, was moved and took pity, saying: “Tauriel, it is by no fault of yours that Gollum escaped. You did not know the extent of his deceitfulness, and I had ill prepared you for that task. You have learned from the error, and you shall remain here as Captain of the Guard if you wish it. I would not have you leave unless that is truly what your heart desires.”

Tauriel’s heart was filled with gladness, for she had come to love Thranduil and the Woodland Realm, and had no wish to leave. It was then that Legolas was sent by his father to Rivendell, to take tidings of Gollum to Elrond and ask counsel. The account of his journey, and the events that befell him thereafter, is a tale told elsewhere in much detail. So it was that by chance or by fate, events were set in motion that would lead to the War of the Ring and the end of the Third Age.

 

For several months, an uneasy quiet lay over Mirkwood. The spiders seemed to have retreated southwards, and no Orcs were seen in the woods. Then, as the Battle of the Pelennor Fields in Gondor was nearing its end, the forces of Dol Guldur attacked the Woodland Realm, and the Battle Under the Trees began. Thranduil himself led his forces against the Orcs, with Tauriel by his side. The thousand elves that fought were outnumbered seven to one, but the Orcs were not used to fighting in close quarters among trees, and the elves were nimble and quick to use the forest to their advantage. The battle was long and there was great loss of life. Much destruction was wrought, and there was a great ruin of fire, but in the end Thranduil had the victory and the evil that poisoned Mirkwood was routed.

In the days that followed, Tauriel kept order among the elves as they returned home and beginning to repair the damage done to the forest. In the south, Celeborn and the host of Lórien took Dol Guldur, and Galadriel destroyed the fortress, and the forest was clean and free from the evil that had infected it for so long. Thranduil and Celeborn met, and they renamed Mirkwood, calling it Eryn Lasgalen, The Wood of Greenleaves. As the War of the Ring ended, peace fell over all of Middle-Earth, and the task of restoring and repairing all that had been destroyed began. With the departure of the Ring-bearers into the West, the Third Age of Middle-Earth was ended.

 

As the Fourth Age of Middle-Earth began, the Greenwood was brought back to health, and the Silvan Elves remained there untroubled. It is said that when his son Legolas departed over the sea with Gimli the Dwarf, Thranduil left the Greenwood, sailing to the Undying Lands and departing Middle-Earth forever. Some say that Tauriel went with him, bound to him by love and friendship, but more is not known of this matter. 

 

* * *

 

Timeline (Third Age):

2063 – Gandalf goes to Dol Guldur. Sauron retreats and hides in the East. The Watchful Peace begins.

2341 – Tauriel born

2361 – Tauriel’s parents killed, and she goes to the halls of Thranduil.

2460 – The Watchful Peace ends. Sauron returns with increased strength to Dol Guldur.

Circa 2860 – Tauriel becomes Captain of the Guard.

2941 – The events of _The Hobbit_.

3009 – Gandalf and Aragorn hunt for Gollum periodically for the next 8 years, and at some point search through Mirkwood.

3017 – Gollum caught and taken to Thranduil in Mirkwood.

3018 – June – Thranduil is attacked and Gollum escapes.

3018 – October 25 – Council of Elrond.

3019 – March 15 – The Woodland Realm is invaded, and after a long battle Thranduil has victory.

3019 – March 25 – Fall of  Sauron.

3019 – March 28 – Celeborn and the host of Lórien destroy Dol Guldur.

3019 – April 6 – On the day of the new year of the elves, Celeborn and Thranduil meet. They rename Mirkwood _Eryn Lasgalen_ , The Wood of Greenleaves. Thranduil takes the forest north of the mountains for his realm. Celeborn takes all of the southern woods below the Narrows, naming it East Lórien. (The forest between is given to the Beornings and the Woodmen.)

Fourth Age 120 (Shire Reckoning 1541) – Legolas and Gimli sail to the West.

Circa 122 – Thranduil and Tauriel sail to the West. 


End file.
